This invention relates a submarine arrangement, and more specifically to a submarine arrangement minimizing the ship's displacement while maximizing weapons payload and ship capability.
Conventional nuclear submarines incorporate a torpedo room for weapons storage which is internal to a pressure hull. Typically, this arrangement also includes tubes which penetrate the inner hull and extend to the outer hull to allow weapons launch. The large internal space requirement for weapons storage and handling in such an arrangement increases the volume, and, therefore the displacement of the ship. An internal torpedo room also requires additional equipment to load weapons down through several levels of the ship into the tubes. Handling platforms, hydraulic valves, air systems, etc. are required to deliver weapons to the tubes. Moreover, alignment of the torpedo tubes and weapons handling equipment is difficult and costly. In addition, the fact that the torpedo tubes penetrate the inner pressure hull results in both an increase in ship cost and a greater risk of flooding. Additionally, the storage of weapons internal to the pressure hull governs a need for additional variable ballast tankage to compensate for the loss in ship's weight after weapons ejection.